Cardinal Glennon sees a 50 percent jump in kids with colds

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ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) - A virus is making a lot of kids sick in the Midwest. Doctors say in some cases the illness is rhinovirus in others its enterovirus 68. Either way it can make people`s lives miserable causing fever, sore throat and runny nose. Scary for parents who`s children get sick. Cardinal Glennon Children`s Medical Center Has seen a 50 percent jump in respiratory virus cases this week. One Kansas City hospital is admitting 20 to 30 kids every day and has recently seen more than 300 cases.

Dr. Kurt Sobush, a Pediatric Pulmonologist at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children`s Medical Center says they have seen a marked increase in respiratory illness. Parents of children with asthma should make extra-sure that the children are taking medications and the asthma is well controlled. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for EV-68. Symptoms begin like a cold virus with runny nose, coughing, and congestion, but some children quickly develop wheezing and breathing difficulties.

More than half of the hospitalized children, ranging in age from 6 months to 16 years, have asthma or a history of wheezing. No deaths have been associated with the infection.

As of last Thursday, the CDC had confirmed 84 cases of the virus through lab tests in six states: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, and Missouri.